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My cat died last week and I can’t stop crying about it.
Many people think the loss of a pet isn’t anything major, but the emotional impact of losing an animal can be huge. I loved my cat tremendously and she was with me for 13 years. Now, my life feels empty.
As you’re on this page, I’m sure you’re dealing with something similar. Perhaps you lost your dog, guinea pig, or hamster. Whatever pet has passed away leaves a hole in our lives. And the feelings of sadness and grief are perhaps worse if you have chosen to have your pet put down.
However, crying is a natural part of the grieving process. We need to allow ourselves the mourn the loss of our pets so that we can move on. I discuss this and all the other emotions of losing a pet that you might experience. Although you might never get over your loss, you can and will be happy again.
Why Does My Pet Dying Hurt So Much?
Anyone that has never had a pet of their own struggles to understand the emotional ties we have to our pets. My cat was with me every day and became a true member of the family. I’m sure the bond you had with your pet was just as strong. Pets are more than just animals – they’re our best companions.
For one, they make our lives brighter. Cats do have a sense of humor and my cat brought me joy every day. Even little things like watching my cat make biscuits on me or when she sleeps between my legs made me smile. I’m sure your cat or other pet brought you plenty of joy too, sometimes without even meaning to.
They’re also there for us on our darkest days. Whenever I am feeling low, my cat follows me everywhere and sleeps with me. My cat sits next to me when I’m feeling lonely too, and sleeps on my chest to show that she cares. Cats know when you’re sick as well, and mine provided me with comfort whenever I needed it.
Moreover, they give us a sense of meaning and responsibility for another living being. We have to look after our animals and have a purpose. For anyone that relies on their cat or dog for emotional support or has a service animal, the bond is even stronger as this responsibility to care and support goes both ways.
When a pet dies, it’s understandable to be extremely upset. Depending on how close you were with your pet, the loss is similar to losing a friend or relative. Although not human, you have lost a companion. I miss even the tiny things, like that my cat isn’t there to lick me when I pet him nor to sleep with me at night. And I can’t stop crying about it!
The important thing to remember is that we are not alone. Whatever you are feeling is valid and fair. Everyone handles grief differently and it is normal to be sad for the days, weeks, or months after a pet passes away. Sometimes this can feel overwhelming, but you can and will be okay again.
The Grieving Process After Losing a Pet
Everyone grieves slightly differently and goes through the process at their own pace. And importantly, there is no right or wrong way to mourn the loss of an animal. We each have our own way of dealing with loss and have to allow ourselves to feel whatever emotions come up.
However, the grieving process does tend to follow a similar pathway and can generally be split into five stages. People often cycle through these stages and will move forward and backward. The stages might also appear in a different order. Others might not go through the cycle at all! Like I said, grief is different for everyone. But here is a look at the most “common” grieving process.
1. Denial
When we initially lose our pet, most people will enter a state of denial. This is a coping mechanism that most of our brains use to make the pain less severe. We pretend that the reality of losing a pet isn’t true and refuse the accept the truth. Because of the new and upsetting reality we have to adhere to, we deny the situation rather than process through the pain.
2. Anger
Many people will then develop feelings of anger. We aren’t necessarily angry about anything in particular but are instead using anger as an outlet for our overwhelming emotions. It is easier to be angry than it is to be sad as we aren’t as vulnerable. You might also feel angry at yourself, especially if your pet died for a reason within your control.
3. Depression
Next comes overwhelming feelings of sadness and depression. My pet died and I can’t stop crying, so it is safe to say I am in this stage. You might also feel hopeless, helpless, and isolated. For many, the stage of depression lasts the longest. You might also cycle from depression back to anger or onto the next stage: bargaining.
4. Bargaining
Bargaining is the stage in which you feel guilt. My cat died of heart disease and I went through a while of blaming myself for not getting her to the vet sooner. You might beat yourself up for letting medical conditions go unchecked or letting your cat outside at night and getting injured. When in this stage, you’ll ask yourself things like “What if I had done more?”
5. Acceptance
Having gone through the previous four stages you’ll finally reach a point of acceptance. This does not mean you’re happy that your pet has passed away or have forgotten about them. Instead, it means that you have finally accepted that they have died and are prepared to move on with your life without them being beside you.
What To Do if My Pet Died and I Can’t Stop Crying?
Your pet has passed away and you can’t stop crying. Now what? Life feels pointless and you can’t carry out simple tasks without getting upset. So, what should we do? Below are some tips you can try that will help you work your way through the grieving process.
1. Let Yourself Cry
If your pet died and you can’t stop crying, you probably want to bury these feelings and try to convince yourself to be happy again. You want to be able to turn off the tears. You want everything to be okay in your life again. However, if you are devastated by the loss of your pet, you need to feel these negative emotions and let yourself cry.
Don’t feel ashamed to be upset or try and hide it. We cannot and should not switch our emotions off. As just mentioned, being upset is part of the natural grieving process. Without processing the emotions and allowing ourselves to feel sad, we might never truly reach the stage of acceptance. Burying your struggles will only lengthen your mourning process.
2. Confide in Friends
Losing a pet can feel extremely isolating. I know I’m struggling massively with this. I spent quality time with my cat every day that now feels empty. Cats purr when you pet them, so my home also feels quiet and lonely. Plus, no one seems to really understand exactly how I am feeling.
I found confiding in friends that have pets to be extremely helpful. It’s also useful to find friends that have the same pets as you. Many of my friends have dogs and didn’t understand the emotional attachment I had with my cat. But fellow cat lovers understood exactly the struggles I am going through. Even just voicing how you are feeling can be a weight off your shoulders.
3. Write Your Feelings Down
If you don’t have anyone to speak to or prefer not to talk about how you’re feeling, try writing your thoughts and feelings down. I personally like journaling each morning. I can unload all my negative thoughts at the beginning of each day. Getting them down on paper acts as an outlet and lets you acknowledge how you’re feeling.
Another idea I came across online is to write letters to your late pet. This could be anything from how you spent your day to things that you wish you could explain to your pet if they were still alive. Keep these letters somewhere special to you.
4. Say Goodbye Properly
There is no reason why funerals have to just be for people. Although not a pleasant experience, putting your beloved pet officially to rest can help you come to terms with the loss. From here you can then begin to overcome it and move on with your life.
If you don’t want to arrange a burial with loved ones, you could just write a poem or eulogy for your pet and say this out loud. This can be your version of putting them to rest. It still achieves the same thing – it makes you acknowledge the reality that your pet has gone and find peace with it. You can start celebrating their life, rather than mourning their loss.
5. Keep Active
It can be difficult to think of anything else but your pet following their death. However, you must push through and continue to do things for yourself, even if life seems pointless. One of the best things you can do is exercise. Keeping active will boost your endorphins in the brain and make you feel happier than you did before.
Keeping active will also help ensure you stay healthy. When grieving, it can be easy to let things like healthy eating, exercising, and good hygiene becomes an afterthought. Yet we need to be strong and healthy to mentally overcome the loss we are facing.
6. Find Another Source of Meaning
I certainly feel like I have lost my purpose now that my cat has died. İ used to get up early every morning to feed her, spend time playing with her every day, and give her plenty of love and affection. I had to show up for her! But now, my life lacks meaning and purpose.
If you’re feeling the same, you need to find another source of meaning. And this doesn’t necessarily mean rushing to get another pet. In fact, I would advise against doing this too quickly as you’ll never fully process the loss. Life can have meaning in all kinds of ways! You could perhaps join a volunteer group or start a new hobby that you have been putting on hold. Do something for yourself.
7. Seek Professional Help
If you still cannot stop crying and feel like your grief is becoming unhealthy, don’t be scared to seek professional help. However, as everyone processes grief in different stages and timeframes, it can be hard to know when the right time to seek help is. I recommend reaching out to a professional if any of the following apply:
- Complete Loss of Energy: It is relatively normal to spend a few days upset and in bed after a pet dies. But if you are still struggling to get out of bed and carry out normal day-to-day activities after a week or so has passed, you should consider seeking help. You don’t want the loss of a pet to have negative impacts on other areas of your life.
- Weight Loss: When we are upset, stressed, and anxious, it is common to lose our appetite. Even just the thought of eating something can make you feel nauseous! These feelings might last for a few days or a week. However, if your lack of appetite starts to lead to weight loss then things are going too far.
- Depressed Thoughts: Bargaining and blaming yourself for the loss of your pet is normal. Yet extremely damaging negative thoughts and hatred towards yourself is a sign your mental health is taking a turn for the worse. Thoughts about self-harm and that life isn’t worth living also need to be taken very seriously.
Although it might feel like all is lost, it is never too late to seek help. In fact, admitting you need help is often the hardest step. Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed and never give up.
When Should I Get a New Pet After One Dies?
Many people rush off to get a new pet when one does. They want to fill the space in their life with a new animal. That way, they won’t feel so lonely. On the other hand, some people go the opposite way. They don’t feel like they’ll ever be able to share their life with another pet. They feel like no animal will ever be able to fill the void.
There is no “perfect” time to get a new pet. This is down to you and your current state of mind. What I will say though is this: avoid rushing and getting a new pet immediately. You need time to process the grief of your late pet. Otherwise, you might be upset because your new pet doesn’t live up to your expectations, and you might never fully process the loss of the previous animal.
Instead, wait until you have found some kind of peace with the loss. You need to be able to look forward and get excited about building a new relationship with a new pet. For some people, this could be a few days or weeks. For others, it could take several months to be in the right state of mind.
If and when you do decide you’re ready for another pet, here are some tips on doing it right:
- Don’t make any rash decisions and allow yourself to think about whether or not this is the right step to make. Make sure this is your decision and don’t allow the opinions of friends and family to alter what you think is best. Only you know how you’re feeling.
- Don’t get a new pet as a replacement for your old one. This will only lead to feelings of disappointment as your new pet won’t be the same as your previous one and will fail to live up to your expectations. Instead, try to get a pet that is opposite to your old pet and that you can build a completely new relationship with.
- Do make sure all family members are ready for a new pet to join the family. If people, especially children, are still processing the loss of the previous pet, getting a new one can be damaging. Everyone needs to be ready.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Losing a pet is an extremely painful experience and there is no wrong or right way to feel. It might take a few days, weeks, months, or even years until you have fully accepted the loss of your pet. If you can’t stop crying, that’s okay! Allow yourself to grieve and remember that you are not alone.
Remember that although your pet has gone, nothing and nobody can take away the memories you have together. And eventually, you will be able to look back on these times with a smile.
I have a similar story. We had to put our beloved black cat Stella down after 16 beautiful years on 3/10/22 – the worst day of my life. A freak accident broke her leg so badly she’d need surgury or amputation. My gut, my husband, my mom and the vet agreed her quality of life would suffer terribly due to her age and weight so we made the decision.
We too have been crying every day since. Blaming ourselves, denial, “what if I just” It’s a level ten of emotional pain but messages, texts, calls from people have helped temporarily ease the pain. We might seek out a grief counselor for help.
I like your idea of writing all the gifts she has given us as a way to work through this. I’d like to work on a scrapbook one day with the billions of pics we have. I fear if the pain and sadness decrease, we are no longer honoring our sweet girl. My husband reminded me that Stella wouldn’t want us to be this way and we should live life better in honor of her. My heart goes out to all those suffering a recent loss if a lived pet.
We lost our beautiful male cat Cica last Friday 18th March, he was 11. We had no idea he was ill, he had a saddle thrombus. I woke up and he was outside the door crying in pain and couldn’t use his back legs. We rushed him to the vet who is famous in Hungary for saving animals, the best there is, Coca was put on oxygen and pain relief meds but after 12 hours of care in the surgery, the breathing was weak and he passed away. Cica was such a beautiful cat, looked completely healthy and there were no signs of anything wrong.
He was my best friend, we had such a bond, he was so intense and deep, we are crying and so sad, he was part of the family and we are all devastated. We have another cat, a female and they were best friends although we are upset, we have to make sure she is okay as the house feels different and empty. Cica sat with me every evening on the sofa, sleeping upside down, playing, wanting our food, playing fighting with his female companion, sitting on the balcony feeling the breeze on his face.
So sad and upset, how we get over this I have no idea, so hard to take.
We lost our ginger male Mițu on the 3rd of April due to a saddle thrombus as well. He was 12 years old. I’m still in shock. It all happened so sudden. Friday morning he was fine, no signs that there was something wrong, and in the afternoon we found him crying and not using his back legs. We took him to the vet, they put him on treatment and on oxygen. Saturday he seemed better and we were so full of hope, only to find out Sunday morning that he had died. He was so beautiful, smart, and funny cat, always playful. I saved him from the streets when he was a kitten and we had such a strong bond. My life is empty now, and so is my house. I am devastated and I can’t stop crying, don’t know how I will get over…
Sorry to hear Daniela, same as us yes, real shock and upsetting. House is not the same.
We are in future going to take any of our cats for regular checks at the vet twice a year so they can do a blood test as cats with this issue don’t appear to show any symptoms. Cica our cat looked really healthy and full of life, we miss him so much.
So sorry for your loss.
I am sorry for your loss. My cat died of kidney failure. She was 9 years old black cat. Too early. We cried so hard. (4/15/22).
My baby is only 9 and has cancer. I can’t stop crying now. I’m so sorry and I do understand.
I understand how painful this is.. we found out that our cat Ferrero had FIV way too late, while he was suffering through an extreme secondary infection. On 1/8/2023 he gave up and wouldn’t even bring out a sound. We knew he was shutting off (also because his gums were completely white). We brought him to the vet to put him down. He was only 3 years old… The pain experienced was excruciating and our two other ladies have also been acting differently since he left.
I lost my cat Lucky after 19 years together. He died by my side. I can’t stop crying. I’m broken. I miss him.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I had to have my baby, Socks euthanized on July 2. He was the last of three. He was almost 18. I cry everyday, sometimes 2 and 3 times. I feel devastated, depressed, hopeless, heartbroken and lost. I don’t know what to do.
28/3/2022 is my worst day of my life, I lost my Pattu. After 2 years together, on that day my brother open the balcony doors for some fresh air and he forget to closed, that evening I’m searching my pattu I can’t find it then my brother tell that my pattu gone, he jumped from 24th floor, I can feel the pain how he suffer, i can’t forget his face after death, I never imagine that I will see my pattu in that situation, I miss him so much and I can’t stop crying.
I’m very heartbroken I’m sashimi’s mom. I lost sashimi and he was put the sleep because he was very sick. I adopted him 2 months since now. I never thought I he was sick and 9 months old. I hope my kitten will be healthy and long live. I’m happy but I’m crying my heart empty. I felt loved by sashimi. He was abused his boyfriend at foster. I took him welcome my home safe and what he needs. 2 months we had good time and he likes people friendly. He was not feeling well. I took him vet. I was shocked I’m very confused and I lost my mind. I wanted to he fix. They can’t do anything help him. It’s very painful. Sashimi was looking at me . I love you last time he put the sleep. I went to crying lot and I can’t think about him
April 22 is the worst day of my life. My Rudy passed away from heart failure and i just cant stop crying. I’m so devastated, the pain is so intense and unbearable. Keep thinking over and over why I didn’t do something about it sooner. Maybe he would be alright. I think about him every minute and even talk to him like he is still with me. The house is not the same, he would sleep on the bed, sitting on the couch across from me, would come to the door when I’m home. And he is not there… Passing the places where we would go for walks is so painful, bringing back the memories. He loved his food especially chicken and even carrots. I’m so sad right now. because I miss him so so much. The good thing is he is home and I can visit him in the backyard.
I have just lost my beloved cat Rocky whom I had for 13 years, A misdiagnosed thyroid issue was 2 blame, I took him to another vet at PDSA as I knew he just wasn’t getting better, the new vet said his heart was beating 2 fast and the thyroid medication would not of helped as his heart was under stress, Rocky had never been Ill and having to make the decision to put him to sleep was devastating, what mattered was his quality of life. It’s been only 2 days but I’m broken inside and our house is empty without him, I can’t move his things it’s 2 soon and I keep hugging his blanket , I’m lost without our daily routine and think I can still here him in the house ,the loss and sadness we feel is overwhelming but a truth to how much we have and will always love him.
I’m so sorry for your loss ! I lost my Remmy to FELV . He was my best friend and he and I both fought FELV , however he was to weak in the end to fight anymore . I miss him so much, I break down and cry at least 2/3 times a week it’s been a year now and it has not gotten better
My Mischief passed away this morning (13/5/22) and I am absolutely broken. The worst part is that I took a 2 hour flight to come and say goodbye to her, as my mom had told me that she’d been taken to the vet and was very ill with kidney failure. I got to the vet, and as I was about to be let into the room, the vet told me she had just passed. It absolutely has broken me because I didn’t get to say goodbye or be with her when she passed. She has been my best companion for 18 years, and I feel like I’m never going to get over this. I had such a special bond with my baby, and I feel so alone like no one knows what I’m going through. I can’t stop crying and I feel so hopeless and distraught. Rest peacefully my Mischief, I will love you for eternity.
I had to put my cat to sleep yesterday. He was fine the night before and then he started throwing up and wouldn’t walk downstairs. The vet did ultrasound and found tumors throughout his body. He was in pain. I’m devastated and can’t stop crying. The house is quiet and empty without him. I miss him terribly.
We just found out yesterday that our cat has cancer. It’s inoperable and has spread through all his organs. We only knew because his blood test came back irregular. The ultrasound revealed the rest. He’s showing no symptoms, no change in behavior, nothing to indicate that he wasn’t/isn’t well.
It’s heartbreaking. We took him in for check ups regularly, always feed him quality food. There’s nothing we could’ve done differently. All we can do now is care for him until he’s showing signs of pain… and then we will put him to sleep. Knowing this is coming soon is terrible, but we want him to go out healthy and happy, not in discomfort and sickness.
It doesn’t make it easier. He is the third member of our little family. He forever changed our lives when he joined us and I know that the black and white hole he will leave behind will also be forever.
We love you Nigel. Always.
We lost are little Snow today,she is only 6 months old cat and she is one of the three kittens of our mommy Bella. Just 2 days ago she was so healthy and active and all of a sudden she started to throw up and dont want to eat.The vet said the she was poisoned that we dont know how,she never went out of our door.I am so sad and guilty at the same time. I cried from morning and I dont know until when. I am extremely sad I hope I can cope up…
I just had to put my handsome boy Sam down on Wednesday after 16 years. He was fine Monday morning but later he threw up, I did not think anything of it since he threw up before as cats do with hairballs and eating too fast. But this time he was laying in his bed and was lethargic. I took his temp and it was slightly elevated , did not want to eat his fav treats.. I took him to emergency vet and they did not seem too concerned based off his blood work. Gave him some iv fluids and anti nausea pill. I brought him home and he still was not doing well, next day took him to a different vet, x-rays and ultrasound showed fluid in his belly and tumors all over his liver. They believed it was cancer. I was devasted and said goodbye to him Wednesday after he was slowly failing. I cry at times but his litter mate is still with me and I am trying to help her too through the loss of her brother. Believe I have been crying on and off since I got the news of his cancer. I loved my boy so much and the pain is overwhelming. His ashes are home now and it helps to know I have him home but I sure miss him sleeping with me, chewing my hair in the am and so many things. He was my very special boy. It is so hard to believe he is not with me and his sister right now. It is heartbreaking.
Our 12 year old Lhasa apso was hit by a car and taken from us on Memorial Day. He is like my third child after my kids went away to college. I’ve cried every day since and have gone back and forth through all the stages of denial, anger, blaming and depression. Anxiety is a constant. My life revolves around him when I wasn’t working. Our home and patio used to be my sanctuary and now every inch has memories of him. Praying lots to try and get through this.
Your story resonated with me. My gorg baby Lola, a stunning british blue cat, was only 6 years old and was killed this morning by a car. She never went out of our driveway beforr. Im devastated and heart broken. People dont understand. Take care and I hope you are feeling better x
My sweet boy, Riggs, was diagnosed with FIP around his first birthday. We found the medication necessary to treat the FIP and he was cured! He grew strong, discovered the outdoors and started hunting and bringing me gifts. He’d chase butterflies across the lawn. He was so happy. On Friday, he got hit by a car. A Good Samaritan tried to get him help, took him to a vet. But his injuries were too severe, and he died. I wasn’t there. His blood was in the street in front of our house, my son went out in the street to clean it up so I didn’t have to keep seeing it. On one hand, I am so grateful for the two additional years I had with him. Riggs was my live teddy bear and he brought me joy every single day. Now he’s dead at three years old and I am broken. I’d give anything for one more day with him.
My big fluffy white cat named Trooper just reasonly passed away two days ago. Before May was doing ok. But suddenly afterwards would vomit very often which was weird. Then started to loss much of his muscle mass, now skin and bone. After that wouldn’t eat, neither barely eat his favorite treats. Also would always hide underneath the bed, that’s very rare. So finally took him to the vet to do a ultrasound, found tumors all over his liver and kidney area. So had to say my goodbyes 😢 He was 13 years old, been with me for almost 10 years. Crying ever since, but it will make me stronger. Thinking of adopting a kitten, not yet until recovering. This has made my heart broken, that’s life 😐
My emotional support cat passed away this week from a stroke. He was only 6 years old but it felt like we had spent a lifetime together with the traumatic life events he had helped me through. I am devastated and haven’t been able to stop crying, it is helpful to know that this is normal. Sending love to all who have lost their best friends ❤️ I’ll never forget my little man and I’ll never be the same.
Heartbroken 💔 Our beautiful MILO passed 2 days ago and already it feels like a eternity he has given us so much love , laughter and Joy. .I will treasure the memories of him in my heart forever, I miss him so much can’t stop crying..RIP Bonny Lad,
My hamster died a couple of months ago. I know hamsters only live for a couple of years, but she was only 1. When I found out that she had a tumor and cancer, I instantly blamed myself. I love cookie so much. Months later and I cry every day. Really hard. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to clean out her cage or anything. I left the room when she was having surgery on her tumor. When I came back she was deadI. I wasn’t there for her. I left her alone. Poor tiny cookie, all alone…I love you cookie. I’m so sorry.
My 1 yr 5 month old male kitty Kuku passed away this weekend, it was raining and flooding but we called for him. Two days ago there were crows by the neighbors fence, yesterday our dog brought his bones to the house. I was devastated after seeing his paws and the color of his fur knowing it was him. Either the neighbors dogs or coyotes got him only a few hundred feet from our house, he was coming home. I’m heart broken, still in shock, denial and angry at myself. I can’t stop crying remember how he puts his feet to mine when I cook or do office work, no more kitty paw prints on the car windshield, the house feels empty and quiet. 😢
My sweet kitty Cleo was attacked and killed by 3 stray dogs yesterday. It was the first day she’d ever stayed out when I went to work, but she just didn’t want to come in that morning. I can’t imagine the terror she experienced. She was the sweetest little solid black kitty, and was only 3 years old. I’m heartbroken, and I can’t help but think that she’d still be here with me if I’d made her come inside before I left for work.
We burried our Oliver today. And we are broken-hearted. Reading all the stories here give me comfort. Thank you.
I lost my Phoebe yesterday. She was hit by a car. I feel so numb. I’ve cried. I’ve blamed myself. I’ve got no energy. Phoebe was so stubborn, she didn’t trust readily, we had such a special bond. If I could take her place I’d do so in a heartbeat.
I feel your pain Diane – I had to euthanse my 21year old cat, Frankie, on 2nd September. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. So much guilt as I didnt realise how sick he was. He was having seizures and subsequently went blind and deaf. Apparently he had a tumor on the brain. I should have done more. I too cannot stop crying…
He was my constant companion but towards the end I “lost” him – I dont think he knew who I was anymore. I put a mattress on the floor on the last night so that he wouldnt fall when he had a seizure. He slept right up against me with he head up against my heart. He had another seizure and I held him to me whilst seizing and and he had his face resting on mine. I prayed for him to go then but he continued to cling onto life. I took the decision to euthanase him the next morning. The hardest decision and act I have ever faced. I loved him with all my heart. My beautiful, clever, beloved friend.
To all of you, my heart elt sympathy. I’m glad to find this website and this page devoted to heartaches. My beloved Seamum showed behavior illness symptoms early Aug – got him to the vet and 22 days later he was so weak and lethargic I called a LapOfLove vet and she came to my home and gently let him go. Our vet never did get a final dx and he kept deteriorating. I told her I was losing him.
Some meds she gaved didn’t help and the labs were so slow. I miss him so -much and here it is Sept 10 – 3 weeks and the sadness seems to grow as the reality strikes harder. I’m a very senior citizen and my 2 cats were my daily companions, especially Seamus, gentle loving fun and such a happy boy. Such small creatures fill our house with love and purrs. Thank you and the site owner. Love knowing the bonded relationships show such loving hearts. Namaste.
I had to have my darling Puss put to sleep on 26.9.22. I had her for 11 years. She was a stray who just walked in one day. In spite of much effort to find her owner we couldn’t. She was the best cat I have ever had. She shared my life completely. I am devastated by her death. I’m crying when I’m awake and sleeping a great deal.
I lost my cat Robson after 17 years of him being by my side. He’s left behind his brother who is so much different now. I can’t stop crying and it’s been 9 months. I just want him back. He was my tiny best friend. People who say cats don’t show love and affection couldn’t be more wrong. Robson cuddled like a baby, chatted, and just wanted to be around you all the time. The most loving boy! I truly believe my heart broke when he passed. My greatest time with him was when he’d follow me around until I picked him up then cradled him like a baby whilst we looked out the window together. Could of spent hours doing that.
Hayley,
I’m so sorry for your loss of Robson. He sounded wonderful and the fact that his brother who was left behind is also feeling his loss says a lot about the kind of impact he had on your home and those within it. I wish I could take away your pain as much as I wish I could take away my own, but our grief is merely a reflection of the love we shared with them and that should be honored.
My deepest condolences to you. My heart goes out to you.
I feel so lost from the loss of my beloved kitty, Lillie, but I feel oddly comforted at the same time knowing so many other people are experiencing the excruciating loss I am. Not that I want others to feel like I do, because I do not, but it makes me feel not so alone in grieving over who many would say was “just a cat.”
Lillie was anything but just a cat. She was sunshine at my feet. She was the little talker who spoke to me anytime I would look at her. She was filled with sass and spunk and character that was uniquely hers. She was my little girl, my child, my heart. She was my companion and friend and devoted loved one. She was all that and so much more and I don’t know how to live without her.
She died just last Wednesday on 9/28/22. She had kidney issues she battled over the past several months, but she had been doing well until she wasn’t. One day she just suddenly turned and she went downhill at what seemed like a breakneck speed. It all happened so fast. One moment she was here and now she’s gone yet she’s still everywhere in my home. She’s in the blanket on my desk that she laid on while I worked every day. She is in the basket she loved to curl up in as she napped in the sun and watched the birds outside her window. She is in the pillow at my head where she curled up every single night and where I would find her every single morning yet she is no longer in any of those places but her image and her memory clings to them.
I still FEEL her here. I have seen her out of the corner of my eye and I have even heard her crying out to me. As a dear friend said to me, “She is within inches of you but just on the other side of the veil.” That’s not good enough for me. I want her here again. I want to recognize how little time I had to say goodbye so I could pause and do it better this time around. I want to hold her little pink pads on her paws in my hands and stroke them gently with my fingertips. I want to see her face looking up at me. I want to hear her telling me what’s what. I want what I can no longer have and it’s killing me.
I have lost 9 other beloved pets before her, so I know this raw grief won’t last, but it’s here for now and I chose to wrap myself in it like a blanket because this deep well of pain is a testament to how greatly I loved her in life and love her still.
I am truly sorry for all of you who have lost a loved one. I know we will all be with them again one day, but until that day comes, it’s okay for us to wallow in our grief, to let the world know they were here, they were special to us, and they will never be forgotten.
What a wonderful read.
Last night 10/15/2022 I had to make the most gut wrenching decision of my life and have my Sassy put to sleep. She just turned 20 yrs young this month. Had K/D for 4 yrs and in less than a week went downhill where she was very weak. Took her to Medvet. Was there for seven hours going over every possible scenario. After hours of talking to the vet, I held Sassy. She was weak. I put her on a towel/floor and cried for couple of hours and asked her what she wanted. Go home with me, be in discomfort, but you’ll be with me. No movement. I then asked if she wanted to sleep here and see her brother. She lifted her head, made eye contact. I said ok. I stayed with her some more, bawling my eyes out. Finally called the nurse. We prepared. I never left her side and never cried so hard in my life. Today I’m numb, disoriented, and keep seeing her. I swear last night, I heard her special meow that she always did before coming to bed. I will note they she always put her paw or chest on my hand for 20 yrs almost every night. Last night, she did the same thing even when she passed.
I am numb and heartbroken. I know I did the right thing due she was in alot of pain. Couldn’t hatdly stand. She is at peace now. It’s me that will have to go through the process. Bright side, I dreamt that her brother Jasper was running to meet her. Brought me peace too. I will have a memorial for her. May not bury her yet (she’s in a wooden box) but I will.
Thank you for reading
I sympathize with all your stories and am sharing in this intense pain that follows the loss of the most beloved pets. My precious baby girl Callie, had to be put down yesterday, 10/21/2022. 1 week after my birthday. 10 days before Halloween, she’s a black cat and LOVED pumpkins(eating their insides while me and the kids carved them). For 11 years I had the privilege to have the love and affection from the seeetest, most amazing cat I’ve ever known. I never knew a cat could become such an important member of our family. Callie gave kisses when you asked for a kiss, she talked to me all the time, responded to me, understood a lot of what I said, knew each of my kids by name, and even said “mama”. She loved steamed broccoli and helped me get my kids to eat it with her silly 🥦 snatching antics. She slept with me every night, always had to be touching me, she was my little heater. She would even crawl under my blanket then come out just so her head was poking out like, to have her body under the blanket just like us. She was intelligent. She showed genuine love when she looked at you. (You know the look). and always wanted to be by my side. She was always there for me. And I feel like I failed her.
My cats are allowed to go in and out as they like, we have a nice fenced yard and live in a relatively urban and safe neighborhood. She was 11 and didn’t really go far beyond our property. Yesterday morning I was doing my normal morning routine, but she wasn’t there, and I realized I hadn’t seen her since the previous day. I called her and called her. Nothing. I waited a while bc over her 11 years there have been times when she’d stay out longer than usual and then come back with a mouse, bird, mole… But nothing, and when I kept calling her my other cat acted a little weird, so I decided to go look around the house. I found her on the side of the house, unable to move, she was cold, wet from the first rain we’ve had this season, and barely hanging on. I scooped her up and ran inside to get a warm towel to warm and dry her while so rushed her to the vet which is 5 minutes from my house (the longest 5 min ride). I held her and talked to her and tried to warm her, she was whimpering a little but she purred as I gave her love.
Saddle thrombus. It hit her outside, she was alone for hours. I didn’t know. She was suffering. And I didn’t know. The saddle thrombus paralyses her back legs and she was stuck there. When I got her to the vet, they couldn’t get a read on the thermometer. They told me her prognosis didn’t look good, and I told them to do whatever they had to to help her. She’s too special. They gave her pain medication and put her in the warming bed. It was too late. She wouldn’t improve. I held her while the vet gave the shot, it was aweful. Callie wasn’t relaxed, she was scared, she wanted to go home. So I told her it was ok now, it was time for her to rest and to go to Heaven. I told her I would see her again. I kissed her and held her until she passed. I can’t stop crying and I don’t know what to do. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories so none of us have to grieve alone. But This hurts so bad. She was my baby girl, one of my children. My Family. My sweet girl, now An angel. How will I get through everyday without her?
I’m so sorry Callie, I love you so much. I will love you forever. *kisses* 🎃 I miss you
I am so sorry to all of you for your losses, I lost my Mom on 4/09/22 and then had to put my Sugarplum 11yrs down on 11/11/22 do to total Kidney Failure and then my Honeysuckle 18ys down on 11/14/22 do to Heart Disease, Thyroid & Kidney Issues. I think every day why didn’t I know they were ill. I still cry and it’s so hard to get into the holiday spirit. I pray to God every night and just ask him to come into my Heart and thank him for giving me the time that I had with them. I sense them in my house I hear things. I still cry every day.
I lost my favorite friend on New Years Eve and reading through everyone’s posts here has been a salve to my soul. I’d had Bitey since he was a little kitten and he was by my side for the last 15 years. He was the first cat my late husband and I got together and Bitey was such a comfort to me when my husband died. He was always cheerful and chatty, and had a playful spirit until the very end. We had some medical scares in the last couple years resulting in a diabetes diagnosis and later crystals in his urine, but the diabetes was stable and he seemed healthy. I was on vacation and my pet sitter had to rush him to the vet – saddle thrombus like so many of the cats here. Probably the hardest decision I’ve ever made was to have him put to sleep. I feel so guilty because maybe they could have saved him – but the vet advised that there was a 50/50 chance even with treatment, that it was painful, and that it probably would happen again. I hate that I had to make that decision. I held him while they gave him the shots and he was so scared, it feels like a betrayal to my best friend.
I miss him so much. It’s hard to feel anything except sorrow. I know it won’t last and that makes me sad too because I don’t want to forget him. He was so precious.
Thankfully I’ve found this page just to know that I am not the only one who goes through so painful loss.I’ve lost my precious Zumzo 15/02/23. We have him put to sleep cause he had blood cancer. It was the sadest and the worst day of my life.
He was almost 11 yrs old and was healthy and happy till week before,he just stop eating and he was just lying all day ,lethargic,nothing I did wasn’t make him better. I thought maybe he eat to much of hair,and not throw up properly …but through night he wasn’t better so I took him to vet very next day. He said that his heart is weakening and did some blood tests. They showed a lot of bad cells and very little amount of erythrocytes. We try to give him medicine,even iv but he was every day weaker and there was nothing else that we could do. Now I am so sad,devastated ,I can’t explain how hard it is for me to cope with every day life without him. I see him everywhere ,looking for him in apartment,hear his meow and his soft paws walking….I can’t stop crying,my heart is broken. Asking myself what I could do differently,even blaming myself for this…. If I brought him to the vet earlier ,maybe he could be healthy again.I don’t know how to deal with this pain.
He was so loving ,often give me kisses on my eyes while I was sleeping. He was also best mannered cat ever ,I could leave him and he never did anything. Miss him so much I don’t know if I can stand this anymore. Soon I ‘ll get his ashes in beautiful wooden box with his picture and at least I will have him here with me all the time.Rest in peace my love❤️🖤💔
My cat died last night. It has been driving me crazy that I can’t help him for how many days. My cat Toshi had a wound at her feet and stopped eating and drinking. I couldn’t bring him to the vet because I have no money 😭. I tried helping him but it was too late. Toshi has been the kindest and most playful cat I ever had. He would go to the room of whoever in the family got sick and would sleep them to accompany them. When I was sad he went to my bed. He would play with strings, brushes, toy egg,, etc and I was so happy because of my 3 cats, he was the most playful of them. Last night he died in my brother’s and my arms but I was thankful he died with us so we can say goodbye to him atleast. Now I can’t stop crying 😭. I am always blaming myself for not doing the best I can to help him.
Thank you everyone for sharing. My 7 year old Baby dog stopped eating last week. Her belly started to swell and I took her to the emergency vet on Tuesday at 2PM. They realized immediately she was very sick and found masses on her spleen that ruptured. The vet said we can do surgery or euthanize her immediately. I was so bewildered. Euthanasia? On my Baby? What? She needed a blood transfusion before surgery. She sat in my lap on the floor while the transfusion started. After some time (not sure how long, I’m so blurry), they were ready for surgery. I put her on the exam table and they gave her the propofol. I told her I loved her so much as she went to sleep.
They took her into surgery and after about an hour the doctor came out and told me her tumors were wrapping around other organs and she had to be euthanized. I went into the surgery room and held her still under sedation while they gave the drugs. I brought my dog in at 2pm and by 7 pm she was gone.
They brought her out wrapped in a blanket for me to say goodbye. She was still so cute and adorable with her little black nose. They will cremate her and make an imprint of that cute nose. She was only 7 and should have had another at least 5-10 years in front of her.
I have a little 15 year old chihuahua that has bad heart failure and it’s only a matter of time. I know it will be painful when she goes, but I also know she’s had a great life for 15 or 16 years.
But my Baby dog’s death was different. She was too young to go. I am still shocked by what happened and I can’t stop crying, like really crying. Sometimes sobbing so much I can’t catch my breath. She came to me as a puppy and I loved that dog so much. I told her I loved her all the time. It is Friday morning now and just woke up crying. I went to the computer and asked “Why can’t I stop crying after losing my dog” and came upon this site. I don’t like to share, but after reading everyone’s stories, I am finding comfort here. Thank you to all of you animal lovers who understand exactly what I am going through.
My cat passed away. I am so depressed, when I was young, she was stuck with me and I hugged her and patted her cute head I hope she lives well in heaven. Her name was Pouchi and she has a brother named Loui.😢